Tunnel liner



Aug. 15, 1933- R. v. PROCTOR TUNNEL LINER Original Filed June 23, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Aug. 15, 1933. R. v. PROCTOR TUNNEL LINER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed June 25, 1931 Ib HHHHIHm IHHIH HI! I J5 'Aug. 15, 1933. R. v. PROCTOR TUNNEL LINER 3' Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed June 23, 1931 rflllrllllllrlnfi lwullllllm INVENTOR Patented Aug. 15, 1933 I TUNNEL LINER RobertV. Proctor, Youngstown, Ohio, assignor to' The Commercial Shearing & Stamping Company, Youngstown, Ohio, a Corporation of Ohio Application June 23, 1931, Serial No. 546,261 Renewed February 10, 1933 .14 Claims.

My invention relates to tunnel liner segments and, in particular, to a segment which is adapted to be assembled or built up from a plurality of parts which can be manufactured in large quantitles at very small expense.

' According to present methods, tunnel linings are built up of a plurality of tunnel liner plates, bolted or otherwise secured together. The liner segments are bent longitudinally to the radius of the tunnel itself, and are connected end to end to form rings or courses. The courses are laid side by side as the tunnel is bored.

A number of attempts have been made heretofore to produce a tunnel liner segment having an outer wall constituting the so-called. skin plate of the liner, and side andend walls for connecting adjacent liner segments and courses, from a single sheet of metal. Numerous objections to this method of forming tunnel liner segments have, however, been encountered. In the first place, the bending dies are expensive and are subject to rapid deterioration and wear. In addition, the gauge of material which it is possiblev to work in this manner is limited. irregularities in the finished product, furthermore, are diflicult to eliminate.

I have invented a tunnel liner segment which is characterized by freedom from all of the objections above mentioned. According to the invention, I provide a segment made up of a plurality of separate elements welded together. By using this method, all parts of the complete liner segment can be manufactured very cheaply in large quantities within small dimensional limits.

The separate elements can readily be welded together to form a complete unit which is characterized by uniformity in dimensions, great strength, and rigidity, and applicability to a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Tapered segments used where the axis of the tunnel curves .can be made very easily merely by properly trim-' Figure l is a partial transverse section of a tunnel liner course,

Figure 2 is a sectional view along the plane of line ,II1I of Figure l; the section line I-I of Figure 2 indicates generally the plane of the section of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a sectional .view similar to Figure 1 showing one end of a liner segment separate and apart from any other associated structure,

Figure 4 is a sectional view along the plane of line IV-IV of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3, showing a modified form of the invention,

Figure 6 isa view similar to Figure 5, showing a slight modification thereof,

Figure l is a view similar to Figure 3, showing a further modification,

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 3, showing a further modification,

Figure 9 is a sectional view along the plane of line LX-JX of Figure 8,

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 3, show: ing a still further modified form of the invention,

Figure ii is a view similar to Figure 3, showing another modification,

Figure 12 is also a figure similar to Figure 3, showing a modified form of the invention;

Figure 13 is another view similar to Figure 3, showing still another modification;

Figure 14: is a sectional view along the line XIV-XIV of Figure 3 showing a modified form of weld for securing portions of the liner segment together;

Figure 15 is a similar view showing a further modified form; and

Figure 16 is a partial sectional view similar to Figure 1, showing a modified form of connection between certain other elements of the liner segment.

Referring in detail to the drawings, and for the present, to Figures 1 through 4, a tunnel lining inay be built up of a succession of courses formed by a plurality of liner segments 10 bolted together end to end as shown in Figure 1. According to one formof the invention, the liner segment is made up of a back or skin plate 11 having fiat pieces 12 welded to the edges thereof at right angles to form side walls for the segment. As will be apparent in Figures 2 and 3, the side walls '12 are disposed with respect to the back plate 11 in non-overlapping relation. In other words, the plates 11 and 12 have their inner edges only, in contact. The plate '11 is bent longitudinally to the radius of curvature of of the plate 11. a

- The ends of the segments 10 are closed by fiat pieces 15 which are welded at 16 to the back plate 11 to form end walls. It will be observed in Figure 4 that the end walls 15 are disposed in overlapping relation with respect to the edges of the plate 11. They may also be disposed in nonbverlapping relation as described hereafter. The back plate 11, the side walls 12, and the end walls 15 thus constitute the principal members of the segment and form a curved box with an open top.

In the usual method of advancing the bore of a tunnel, a shield is forced ahead of the completed portion of the tunnel by means of jacks bearing on the liner course last installed. In order to take upthe thrust required to advance the shield, thrust members in the form of I-beams 1'7 or other suitable structural shapes are disposed transversely of the liner segments 10. Being disposed transversely of the liner segments, the thrust members 17 extend longitudinally along the tunnel. The I-beams 17 bear directly on the side walls 12 and may be welded thereto if desired. The I-beams are spaced from the back plate 11 by means of blocks 18, to avoid inter-' angle irons having legs of unequal thickness (although this is not essential) the thin leg being disposed adjacent the side wall 12 to facilitate punching bolt holes therethrough, and the thick leg being disposed parallel to the back plate 11 to afford a maximum reinforcing effect. The

angle irons 19 are welded to the side walls 12 by welds 20 and 20a and to the end plates 15 by welds 21. A continuation of the weld 21 connects the end walls 15 to the side walls 12. The I- beams 17 are welded to the angle irons 19 at 22. The side walls 12 may be extended past the outer edge of the angles 19 to facilitate caulking.

As the liner segments are installed incourses, they are connected end to end to adjacent plates by means of bolts 23 traversing the end walls 15 to form a complete ring or liner course. As adjacent courses are built up, the segments in such courses are connected by bolts 24 traversing-the side walls 12. The joints between adjacentliner plates may be made watertight by welding or caulking the abutting side and end walls of adjacent segments.

Figure 5 illustrates a slight modification of the form of the invention shown in Figures 1 through 4. The same reference numerals will be employed to designate the parts of the invention shown in Figure 5, since their structure is identical and the only difierence is in therelat'ive positions of some of them. As will be apparent not continuous, but intermittent, occurring only between successive I-beams, or omitted altogether. The exterior welded fillet 13 is, however, continuous and forms a watertight joint between the side walls and back plate. In other respects, the. liner segment illustrated in Figure 5 is identical with that of the previous figures.

Figure 6 illustrates another modification of the invention. According to this modification, a tunnelliner segment comprises a back plate 25 to which side walls 26 are welded, the side walls 26 being positioned so as to abut and overlap the edges 'of the back plate 25. Transverse thrust and longitudinal reinforcing members 2'? and 28 are included in this structure as in those pre- 'viously described. The thrust member 2'7 is spaced from the back. plate 25 by blocks 29 in order to avoid interference of the reinforcing member with the interior weld fillet 30 which, with the exterior weld flllet 31, joins the side walls 26 to the back plate 25.

In other respects, the modification of Figure 6 is similar to those already described in detail.

Figure 7 illustrates a modification of Figure 6 which differs from the latter in the same respects in which Figure 5 difiers from the modification of Figures 1 through 4. In Figure 7, the transverse thrust member 27 bears directly upon both the back plate 25 and end walls 26, the interior weld fillet 30 being interrupted for this purpose, or omitted altogether, and the exterior fillet 31 relied on to make a continuous watertight joint.

Figures 8 and 9 illustrate a slightly difierent form of tunnel liner segment. According to this form of the invention, a liner segment consists of a back plate 32 and end walls 33 welded thereto by means of exterior and interior welds 34 and 35. The side walls 33 abut and overlap the back plate 32. The free edge of the side walls 32 is bent over to form a flange 36 integral with the side walls. The ,transverse thrust member 37 comprises an I-beam having the mid portion of its upper flange dished as shown in Figure 9 to space the I-beam slightly from the back plate 32. The ends of the I-beam flange are undeformed and therefore clear the weld 35. Welds 38 at intervals join these parts securely together. Welds 39 connect the I-beams 37 to the end walls 33. The flanges 36 of the latter are connected by welds 40 to end walls 41. As shown in Figure 8, it is not essential that the reinforcing flange on the side wall be thicker than the wall itself, although this makes the most eflicient use of the metal section available.

In the modification of Figures 8 and 9, the fiange36 serves the purpose of the longitudinal reinforcement for the side walls described in the other modifications.

Figure 10 illustrates a liner segment having a back plate 42, side walls 43, and end walls 44. The side walls 43 comprise a rolled sheet including an integral flange 45 and are welded to the back plate at 46. A reinforcing I-beam 47 is welded to the end walls at 48 and may also be welded to the back plate 42 where convenient. The side walls 43 and their flanges 45 are secured to the end walls 44 by welds 49. The side wall 43 also has a caulking heel 50 formed integral therewith.

Figure 11 illustrates a slightly difierent modi- Figure 12 shows another modification in which a liner segment comprises a back plate 60 having its edges bent up as at 61 to form a portion of the side walls of the liner. A rolled angle iron 62 welded to the edges 61 of the plate 60 completes the side wall and includes an integral reinforcing flange 63 therefor. The angle iron 62 is buttwelded to the bent edge 61 at 64. Otherwise, the structure is similar to that shown in Figure 11.

Figure 13 illustrates a still further modified form in which a back plate 65 has its edges 66 bent up to form the side walls of the liner segment. Between the side walls and the main body of the plate an offset bend 67 is introduced to displace the fillet formed between the angularly disposed portions of the plate so that it will not interfere with the square end of a transverse reinforcing I-beam 68. In order to provide the desired circumferential reinforcement for the tun nel, I weld reinforcing bars 69, preferably of rec-' end walls as in the previous modifications.

Instead of securing the end walls 15 to the side walls 12 and the angle irons 19 by the inside weld 21, I may use an outside weld, as shown in Figure 14. In Figure i l, a weld 15a is burned into the joint between the end plate 15 and the free leg of the angle 19, on the outside of the liner segment. A similar weld connects the end wall 15 to the side wall 12. The weld 15a may be ground flush, if desired, or may be left as shown in Figure l l.

Figure 15 illustrates a further modification of the weld between the end wall and the other parts and 15, the welding operation can be performed more readily than in. the case where it is necessary to weld an inside joint.

Figure 16 illustrates a modification of the structure shown in Figure 1. According to this modification, the end walls 15 do not project beyond the skin plates 11, but have only edge to edge contact therewith. A plurality of welds 16a and 16?) on the outside and inside of the joint, respectively, connect the end walls firmly to the skin plates. In Figure 16, the end walls are secured to the angle irons 19 by welds 15a, as shown in Figure 14. The thrust members are omitted from the modification of Figure 16, although they may be incorporated therein if a shield is employed to advance the tunnel.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the invention in its various modifications provides a variety of forms of tunnelliner segments, each of which is composed of a plurality of parts of more or less standard shape so that they can be manufactured very cheaply in large quantities. Naturally, the larger the number of parts and the smaller they are in size, the

lower the cost of manufacturing the parts and the higher the cost of assembly. The range of modifications of the invention described,- however,

permit a selection depending upon conditions which may vary with the place of manufacture. The use of any of the modifications of the invention, however, will permit a greater output of tunnel liner plates at a reduced unit cost. At the same time, the'plates are strong, rigid, and can be built of a variety of gauges of material in almost any desired shape and dimensions. The manufacture of the separate parts of the liner and the assembling thereof, can be carried on so that close dimensional working limits are possible. Tapered plates can easily be made for installation in courses to curve the axis of the tunnel.

Although I have illustrated and described in detail but a few of the possible modifications of the invention, many changes in the arrangement, shape and dimensions of the modifications described will in due course occur to those skilled in the art. Any such changes, of. course, may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims or sacrificing the advantages above enumerated.

I claim:

1. A tunnel liner segment comprising a back plate, side walls welded to said plate, and a transverse thrust member extending across said plate having dished flanges in contact therewith, welded tosaid plate.

2. A tunnel liner segment comprising a back and reinforced side walls, and end plates abutting the ends of the back and side walls, and external welds burned in the joints between the side walls and end plates and between said end plates and the side wall reinforcing for securing them together.

3. A tunnel liner segment comprising aplate bent to the transverse curvature of the tunnel along one dimension, separately formed, similar side walls for said liner conforming to the curvature of the plate and attached to the edges thereof, the edges of said side walls having a separately formed reinforcing extension attached thereto, and end walls for the liner attached to the plate and said side walls.

4:. In a tunnel liner segment, a plate bent to the curvature of the tunnel cross section, similar reinforced side walls secured to the plate along its opposite edges, end walls having a cut-out adjacent their inner edges attached to the plate,

and thrust members transverse to the plate, slightly spaced therefrom.

5. A liner segment for tunnels comprising a plate, separate side and end walls attached thereto, said side walls being similar and having reinforcing portions equally spaced inwardly of the plate and transverse thrust members engaging said side walls.-

6. A tunnel liner segment including a back plate, side and end walls attached thereto, a transverse thrust member for said plate and separately formed longitudinal reinforcing members attached to both said side walls.

'7. A tunnel linersegment comprising a skin plate, side walls attached thereto and extending inwardly and outwardly beyond both the inner and outer surfaces of the skin plate, the side walls having their inner edge portions equally. spaced from the plate and disposed at an angle to the major portiomof the side walls.

8. In a tunnel liner segment, a plate bent longitudinally to the curvature of the tunnel, separately formed side walls similarly curved and attached thereto, and separately formed reinforc- ISO ing means attached to the side walls and extending longitudinally thereof.

9. A tunnel liner segment comprising a skin plate, side walls disposed in abutting relation to said plate, extending beyond both the inner and outer surfaces thereof and secured thereto, and end walls secured to the skin plate and side walls.

10. A tunnel liner segment comprising a metal plate constituting the body of the liner, and having its edge portions bent up to form the side walls of the liner, and reinforcing bars of rectangular cross-section attached to the side walls so as to form flanges extending substantially parallel to the body of the liner and inwardly of the side walls thereof.

11. In a tunnel liner segment having a skin plate and side walls, a transverse thrust member engaging the side Walls, extending parallel to said skin plate and largely spaced therefrom, said thrust member comprising a rolled section having a web and flange, the flange of said section having at least a portion thereof deformed for engagement with the skin plate.

12. A tunnel liner segment comprising a skin plate curved in one direction and having side walls extending inwardly thereof, a transverse thrust member extending across the skin plate, and a spacer attached to said skin plate and thrust member for separating the latter from the former, whereby the ends of the member clear a fillet formed between the skin plate and side walls, the transverse thrust members being so disposed in said segments that when the segments are laid up side by side to form a tunnel lining, the thrust members are in alinement to constitute axial ribs for sustaining the longitudinal thrust to which the lining may be subjected.

13. A tunnel liner segment comprising a skin plate, separately formed side walls abutting the edges of said plate and extending therebeyond, a welded fillet external to the line of intersection of said skin plate and side walls for joining them together, the inner surfaces of said plate and walls constituting unobstructed dihedral angles of substantially 90, and a transverse thrust member having square cut ends extending across said plate in contact therewith and fitting closely into said angles for end engagement with said side walls.

14. A tunnel liner segment comprising a skin plate and side walls extending inwardly thereof, fillets between the side walls and skin plate, and a transverse thrust member attached to said side walls and extending across the segment in spaced relation to said skin plate to clear said fillets, said members being so disposed in said segments that when the latter are disposed side by side in staggered relation to form a tunnel lining, the members of adjacent segments are in alinement, constituting axial ribs for sustaining longitudinal thrust to which the lining may be subjected.

ROBERT V. PROCTOR. 

